Switch operating mechanism



July 28, 1931. G. PAILIN 1,816,789

K SWITCH OPERATING MEGHANISM lFiled oct. 1, 1929 e the switch.

Patented July 28, 1931 GEORGE PAILIN, or MAnCHnsTER, Eiremuxu), Assrronon To ,on-NERA; ELECTRIC lc'roiurrPArrrY; A 'ConroRArroN o'rNlEwYoR-,x'

SWITCH OIfERATING MECHANISM Application led October l, 1929, Serial No. 396,567, and in Great Britain Qctober 1,1, 1928.

My invention relates to circuit breakers, member coupled in a suitable manner to the and more particularly to switch operating mechanism of the ltype permitting tripfree action of thel switch'inre'sponse toan yabnormal circuit condition;

"A principal object of my invention is the provision of switch operatingmechanism comprising a flexible connection betweenan operating member 4and Ia switch actuating memberwherein the flexible connection serves as a transmission device for normally closing the switch, and which ,is adapted to collapse in response to anabnormal circuit conditionto permit immediate opening of A further object is the provision of means for normally restraining the ilexible yconnection yin such manner thaty it is effective to transmit the actuating force to the switch member, and upon occurrenceof an abnormal circuit condition permits collapse of said flexible connection at once toallow reverse movement of the switch member yto open psitio. .v

'My'invention will ybe ymore fully set. `forth in the following description referring to "the accompanying drawings and the eaturesof novelty which characterize'my invention -will be pointed out with particularity' 'in the claims yannexed to and forminga partl ofthis specification. c Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates in'dia-grammatic form a switch operating and tripping mechanism in position about to effect closure of theswitch, Fig. 2 illustrates the mechanism in the posi-V tion it occupies whentho switch is engaged, and Fig. 3 illustrates the mechanism in the position it occupies immediately upono'c'- currence of the tripping of the switch.

The illustrations, yby 'way of example, may be considered as referring to a solenoid loperated "circuit breaker," the" solenoid (not shown) being connected to' ther plunger-like its upper end to one endof a'lexible member as :1.1lolle`er'chainl linkage 2,'the other end 'of which` is'connectedi'to another plunger-like member 3 comprising `a switch actuating anni |or rits equivalentl (not shown),

Sinnen c chain orlexiblemembfer maybe bent The through La righ; 'angie' `by a raeway or' 'guide surface''so that operation of the solenoid 55 and plunger a verticalV direction is effec# tive to uoperate the other endnof the chain and the plungerB in afliorizontal direction'. The: outer side or surface of, the race muy Wnohrmtminn tho'ufi'xible mmbofn so its force-transmitting position, and against` which the chainv presses when the solenoid is moving the switch,"or when theswi'tch is closed, consists ofa pivotally mounted mem; ber 5 which isheldvfinitsclosed position as 05 illustrated Figs. 1 andQ'fb'y a latchin member un n roller 6 mounteduponl tho on of af ner 7l pivote@ n @nuA ffonnoudfn n.ny ,Suimhlomunno bythe usunltip' moche# nSm- A dotant onout'ongwhohis'ndnptod zo to ont?? ,the Slot 10 in the, plunae'rf lwhen the latteris in, its 4circuit closing position has pvotnlly Connoonnl` thereto n, tubular member 11l in ,which isroeipooully mounted n. piston 12. oonnootod by n nodi 13 to the 16 plunger 3. A pivot pin 15 mounted on the member. 3 oonots with. un elongated Slot 14 in tho rod 131m@ innposo` hereinafter dosombod- A Springl is interposed between tho, piston 12 und thoolosuro element 18 nt so the end of the tubular member 11. Whenthe pin 15 is at theright-handy end ofv` the'slot 114, due, to tho roprooul more!nent of the plunger 3, further movemonnoflthn lutter ouuSoS pressure to bo npplodto tho dotont 9 ss through the Spring 16v und the member l1 So that the: debout iounusod to entortho Slot 10 when tho plunger 1 is rfully raised, there: byyholding the switch mechanism in its closed position. f When, however, the switch is 90 tripped to permit opening movement of plunger 3, they recoil of the plunger acting throu h the rod 13, piston 12, and the lower end o? the tubular member 11, forces the detent 9 clear of. the slot 10:*and into the posi- 95 tion illustrated in Fig. 1. 1 operation ofthe mechanism is as folows:

Assuming the parts to be in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the closing operation'of Inu (ffl the switch is eeeted by energizing the solenoid or equivalent motive means to cause upward movement of the operating plunger 1. The movement so imparted to the operating member is transmitted by the flexible thrusttransmitting ineniber or chain 2 to effect an outward horizontal movement of the switch actuating member 3. The latter, through the pin 15, applies pressure in the manner above described to the detent 9 which eventually enters the slot lO in the plunger l and holds it in its switch closing position, as illustrated in Fig. 2. If a fault or abnormal circuit condition occurs, or the switch tripping mechanism is brought into operation, the lever 'i' is rotated about its pivot 8 in a counter-clockwise direction and the roller G is thereby removed from engagement with the pivoted side member of the raceway. Member 5 under the reactive pressure of the plunger 3 and the chain 2, is forced about its pivot, as illustrated in Fig. 3,.and the chain, being no longer restrained in its guide, collapses or buckles to permit reverse movement of plunger 3 to its open circuit position.

The piston 12 during the aforesaid operation engages the lower end of its cylinder or tubular part and orces the detent E) out I of the slot and into its retracted position,

as shown in Fig. l. The operating plunger l is now free to fall and the chain returns to the position illustrated in Fig. l. Upon the resetting of the trip mechanism, the switch can again be operated in the above-described manner, but if a fault or abnormal condition exists, the switch cannot be closed, due to the fact that the member 5 will be freed by the trip lever 7 and will open under the pressure ot' the chain 2, thereby permitting the same to buckle.

It shall be understood that my invention is not limited to any particular means for 0perating the switch, as such operation can be eiiected manually, mechanically or electrically.

It shall be further understood that any suitable means for tripping the switch by ieleasing the pivoted section of the raeeway may be employed, and that the flexible forcetransmitting member may operate through other than a right angle without departing from the .spirit of my invention.

That I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. In circuit controlling apparatus including an operating member and a switch actuating member, means interconnecting said members comprising a flexible sliding'cnain linkage restrained in a force-transmitting position for transmitting motion from the operating member to the switch actuating member toeffect circuit closing movement of the la st named member'.

Q. In circuit controlling apparatus including an operating member and a switch actuating member, means interconnecting said members comprising a flexible sliding chain linkage, and means for restraining said lilikage longitudinally of its movement in a forcetraiismitting position for imparting motion to the switch actuating member, said lastnained means adapted to be removed from restraining engagement with the linkage in iespense to an abnormal circuit condition to permit opening movement of the switch actuating member.

3. In circuit controlling apparatus including an operating member and a switch actuating member, a fiexible chain linkage interconnecting :Itaid members, means for restraining said linkage within a raceway whereby motion may be transmitted from the operating member to the switch actuating meniber, and means controlling said restraining means responsive to an abnormal circuit condition whereby release of' the restraining means is eilective to cause collapse of said linkage andL opening movement of the switch actuating member.

4. ln circuit controlling apparatus, an operating member, a switch actuating member, a fiexible thrust-transmitting chain linkage interconnecting said members, means pivotally mounted forming one side of and restrain- .ing said linkage within a raceway whereby motion may be transmitted from the operating member to the switch actuating member, and tripping means for releasing the restraining means. thereby ausing buckling of said linkage and consequent reverse movement of the switch actuating member.

5. In circuit controlling apparatus, an optrating member, a switch actuating member, a roller chain interconnecting said members, a lever pivotally mounted for restraining said chain within a raceway in a thrust-tra smitting position, and a tripping member for holding said lever in its restraining position, said tripping member' being responsive to an abnormal circuit condition for releasing the lever and at once permitting buckling of the chain and opening movement of the switch actuating member.

G. In circuit controlling apparatus, an operating member, a switch actuating member, a flexible thrust-transniitting roller chain interconnecting the aforesaid members, a lever forming one side of and restraining said chain within a raceway in a tlirust-transmitting position whereby movement of the operating member is effective to transmit movement to the switch actuating member. and tripping means adapted to release said'lever 'from its restraining position, thereby causing buckling of said chain and opening movenient of the switch actuating member.

7. In circuit controlling apparatus, an operating member, a switch actuating member. a fiexible roller chain interconnecting said members, a pivoted lever adapted to form a. portion of a raceway for restraining the chain in a thrust-transmitting position, a detent operatively related to the switch actuating member for holding the operating member in its circuit closing position and for releasing it when the switch actuating member moves to its open circuit position, and tripping means adapted to release the free end of said lever thereby permitting the reactive pressure of the switch actuating member to cause buckling of the chain as the swiich actuating member moves to its open circuit position.

8. The combination with sWitc-hl operating mechanism comprising an operating member and a switch actuating member, of thrusttransmitting and releasing means interconnecting said members comprising a roller chain, a pivoted member forming part of a raceway within which the chain is restrained in a thrust-transmitting position, and a tripping member adapted to engage and hold the free end of the pivoted member whereby movement of the operating member is effective to cause corresponding movement of the switch actuating member, said tripping member being responsive to an abnormal circuit condition to release the pivoted member and permit buckling of said chain and consequent reverse movement of the switch actuating member to its open circuit position.

9. Circuit controlling apparatus comprising an operating member, a switch actuating member, a collapsible thrust-transmitting linkage interconnecting said members, tripping' means for holding said linkage in thrust-transmitting position, and a locking detent for holding said operating member in the closed circuit position, said locking detent having a resilient connection with said switch actuating member arranged so that said detcnt is biased into locking position when said switch actuating member is in the closed circuit position and is biased out of locking engagement when said switch member is in the open circuit position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of September, 1929.

GEORGE PAILIN. 

